Partition



March 12, 1935.

H. A. WALDMAN PARTITION Filed Nov. 10, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet l k4 ATTORNEY.

March 12, 1935. H. A. WALDMAN 1,994,203

I PARTITION Filed Nov. 10, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 H A.Wo.| dmcm I NVENTOR M ATTORNEY March 12, 1935.. H. A. WALDMAN PARTITION Filed Nov. 10, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 l NVENTOR 1116 ATIORNEY.

March 12, 1935. H. A. WALDMAN 1,994,203

H. A. WALDMAN March 12, 1935.

PARTITION Filed Nov. 10, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 4 A ORNEY Patented Mar.12,1935. Y K Y Y 7 1 994 203 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PARTITION Harry A. Waidman, Long Island City, N. Y.

Application November 10, 1931, Serial'No. 574,056

soisims; (01. 26-4 My invention relates to improvements in parti- Figure 8 is a substantially transverse sectional tions which are set up by constructing a skeleton view of the partition having dividing and corner frame with openings to accommodate panels or sections projecting at right angles from the origsections of moreor less uniform dimensions, the inal line;

' sections being interchangeable so that alterations Figure 9 is a transverse sectional View taken 5 in the assembly may be made without destroying on lines 9-9 of Figure 2 showing the removable any of the parts and without dismantling the b se andpo s; skeleton frame, s Figure 10-is another substantially transverse This invention has for its object to rovide a sectional view of the partition taken on lines 10 partition of this character which is erected about 0f Figure 2 h w thepmetal t ds; 10 a skeleton frame embodying in its construction Figures. 11 n 12 are perspective ws of a a series of connecting rods extending longitudi- Section Of P da j portion a nally throughout the frame,.the rods being capava s respectively, h being p d d ole of being loosened u to allow alterations to W h portion f t m an for looking the a ts be made, then tightened up again to bring the together; v r 15 entire structure into a single rigid unit, and Figure 3 s a front'olovotional v w of a p during maintenance to tighten the partition by tiQn Of bank n; a V taking up the loo joints v Figure 14 is a substantially vertical sectional A further object of my invention resides in View of the Screen taken on lines the particular means utilized to allow one type ure 20 of panel or section, door or transom to be inter- Figure is a sectional w of a P01131011 Of y changed for another type without disturbing or improvged partition us at n the use of extendismantlinganypart of the partition except just Sioh units which may be added to c m where the change or changes are being made. high/ceiling conditions;

Another object of my invention is directed to e o s a Sectional v showing the 25 t construction and arrangement Separatev rangement of a header at the corner installation base boards for eachsection of the partition, the O a Partition; utility of separate base boards being in the fact Figure 17 is end elevational View of a t that when it is necessary to interchange afixed equipped to accommodate an extension piece;

panel for a door, only the baseboard in the sec- Figur? 18 i a sectiomi-l i Showing the 30 tion accommodating the door need be removed of the tle f anchoted 111 v fl brick to open the space clear to the floor. other Sohd material; I

I accomplish these objects means of Figure is Sectional View F0 construction and arrangement of parts described luustl'attfd 111 ll e 13 except that a different in the specification, set forth in the appended type of Iastemng means 15 used In the Wall; and 35 claims and illustratively exem lified in the Figure 20 is a substantially transverse sectional companying drawings, in whi h; view of a post showing spring retaining means Figure l is a perspective view of a partition in for releasably holding the side moulding in place. th course of construction; 7 Referring to the drawings and particularly to 40 Figure 2 is a front elevational view-of a section Figure 10 denotes the floor Strip which isfixed 4O ofpartitign as it appears when complete; upon the floor'along the line Of the partition.

Figure 3 is a substantially vertical sectional Mounted upontho floor Strip in upright position i t ken on lines 3 3 of i 2 h i a and uniformly spaced from each other, area sepanel and fixed overhead Sash; 7 ries of pilasters or posts '11 A cornice 12 is 5 Figure 4 is a similar section of the upper pormounted p the 1 1 ends of the posts 11 and t of t partition t k on fine 4 4 of FL; consists of a center header piece 13 and side ure 2 and illustrating a door and pivoted transom; Crown moulding Strips 14, the d a e of the Figure 5 is a substantially transverse sectional header piece 13 being provided w a on itud view taken on lines 5-5 of Figure 2 and shownally disposed channel 15, illustrated particularly ing the post, panel and door; I v in Figures 3 and 4. If theceiling proper is actual- 50 Figure 6 is a similar View taken on lines 6-6 5 higherthan the cornice 2, filler S p 16 is of Figure 2 abovethe cross piece showing a fixed mounted upon the header piece 13 and projected sash and pivoted transom; 7 upwardly to meet the ceiling surface. The filler Figure '7 is a sectional view on lines 7-? of strip 16 is utilized to give the appearance of a Figure 2 showing the removable; base; I y beam and comprises spaced parallel upright filler 55 boards 16', the latter being mounted upon an intermediate frame 16 The lower end of the filler strip 16 rests in a groove 13' in the upper face of the header 13, one side of the groove 13' being formed by a removable moulding strip 13 The upper end of the filler strip 16 is held in position with respect to the ceiling proper by means of moulding strips 16 which attach to the ceiling and embrace opposite sides of the filler strip. In each space between posts 11 there is a cross piece or lower header strip 17-which is arranged parallel to and spaced somewhat below the upper header 13 and which consists of a length of wood, preferably square in transverse section, having a longitudinal bore 18 extending throughout its entire length and being'further provided with a channel 19 along its under face. Normally each pilaster or post comprises a wood strip which is substantially square in transverse section and along the sides facing inwardly there is afixed or removable moulding 20 adjacent one corner. In order to establish av proper connection at the meeting-ends of the lower header 1'? and posts 11 and between the upper ends of the posts and the upper header 13, the latter is morticed to receive the tongue of the post in the one instance and in the other instance, the postsarefmorticed to receive the tongues at the. ends of the lower header. 1,, p a

At the lower ends of the posts 11, the latter are enlarged with base blocks 11' to form the line of the base board and in each post, oppositethe moulding 20, there is a removable moulding 21 which together with the moulding 20, meet the ends of the blocks 11 and form a channel 22 rising from the floor strip 10 to the bottom line of the lower header piece 17, ,As already mentioned, the base boards in this invention comprise a series of separate members 23, each there of being of a length to fit closely between adjacent posts 11 and having tongues 24 at its opposite ends to be received in the channels 22 of the posts. The under side of the base boardt23 is provided with a stepped channel 25, the outer section being adapted to closely embrace the upright sides ofthe floor strip 10 while the inner section forms a part of an open channel to ac In order to accommodate the cables usually in- 1 stalled in partitions for electrical connections, the posts ll'are'each provided with a longitudinal bore 28. Each post 11 is further provided with a transverse bore 29 which registers with the bores 18 of the cross pieces 1'7.

Referring now to the means used to firmly tie the skeleton frame together, 30 denotes asection of rod which is arranged in the bore'lS and is of a length slightly longer than the length of a cross piece 17, the rod being threaded at opposite ends to accommodate 'a union or nipple 31, the shank end of which projects into a counter bore 32 at the end of the bore 13. The nipple 31 is provided with a flange 33 at one end which is accommodated in a counter-sunk portion 34 of the bore 29 in the post. When making an assembly, only alternate cross pieces 17 receive the fulllength rods 30, the intermediate cross pieces 17 carrying shorter rods 35 which screw into the shank ends of the nipples, the outer end of each short rod 35 projecting through the bore 18 and into a slot 36 cut into an outer face of the cross strip 17 to meet the bore thereof.

gether in this manner, the frame is easily loosened and tightened to provide a continuous The threaded end protruding into the slot 36 is provided with a washer 37 and nut 38 which when tightened draws the two adjacent cross pieces and intermediate post' very tightly together. It will beseen that when] succeeding units are assembled and brought to-- strengthening device throughout the entire length I of the partition.

Ihe end rods may be either long or short'sections 30 and 35 respectively, andsolidly anchored in a wall of brick orhollow tile as illustratively exemplified in Figure 18. I 'The spaces between the upright posts asprevviously stated are adapted to accommodate fixed sides and in some instances, an intermediate cross piece 44. In the lowerspace a solidpanel of ply wood 45 is accommodated, while in the,

upper space a glass panel 46 is usually mounted although it too may be solid and made of ply wood. The width of the frame 43 corresponds substantially with the distance-between posts 11,-

but the length is slightly longer than thedi- .mension between the top of the base 23;and the bottom line of the cross piece 17. To insert the 3 panel 39, reference is made particularly to Figwherein the upper or top side of theframe 43 ;ure 1 which shows the manner ofinstallation,

is rested against the .mouldingsZO, while the lower end of theframe is supported from be low and then pushed upwardly until the upper side of the frame is inserted well into the recess 19 of the cross piece 17. At thispoint the frame is swung inwardly until-the same is alined with the posts,,the lower side of the frame 43 being" clear of the upper'line of the base 23 because of the depthat which the top of theframe seats in the recess 19. By withdrawing the support,-

theframe 43 is allowed to ride downwardly until the bottom rests on'the bottom of the groove '26.

The lowered position of the frame 43 is not suflicient to free the upper side from the sidesof the. upperchannel 19 so that the entire panel 39 is. firmly supported from above and below againstfalling out of the partition. To complete" the installation the separable strips of moulding21 are placed in position and securely fastened" in the posts. r

Inasmuch as the moulding strips 21 are re.-

movable, it is contemplatedto imbed in the side of the post adjacent the panel a. U-shaped spring ,metal strip 47 which is provided with spaced openings 48 to accommodate nails or screws 49, see Figure 20. J

To substitute a door for afixed panel it is simply necessary to remove the moulding 21 and take out the panel. If the back moulding 20 as the door closes. quired, the moulding 20 which has been cut away may be replaced by a loose moulding strip.

In order to clear the ficcr for a sill 52,'the fioor strip 10 is cut away between the posts. The door 40 is hung in the usual mami'er upon; hinges 53 carried by one of the jam pieces 50.

The space above the cross piece 17' receives a fixed light 41 in very much the same manner as that used to install the panel, the frame 54 of the light being raised intothegroove l5 and then lowered onto the upper surface of the cross piece, as illustrated in Figure 3. In order to substitute the pivoted transom 42 for the fixed unit, it is not necessary to cut away any of the moulding 26, a strip 55 being used to fill in the space between the inside face of the moulding 20 and the opposite edge of the post. This strip on each upright side carries the pivot hardware 56. The upper rail 57 of the transom frame is rabbeted and abuts a rabbeted strip 58 which has been mounted in the upper recess 15. It will be noted that the upper sash or fixed light frame is readily removed and a pivoted sash substituted'therefor without any structural change being made in the skeleton frame. The transom in turn is just as readily removed to be replaced by a fixed sash. This is of considerable importance because it is the overhead transom installation which requires more changes than any other portion of a partition of this character.

In some instances, the posts 11 are held to the fioor strip 10 by either a regular angle iron 59 or a specially constructed iron 60 illustrated for example in Figures 11 and 12, which consists of an angle iron having one arm fastened on the floor strip 10 while the upright arm'is fastened to the post and is provided with a slit 61, the opposite walls of which are beveled outwardly towards the post. The base board at the end of each tongue 24 is provided with a beveled strip 62 which slidesv into the slot 61 of the iron '60 and prevents any spreading of the posts at their lower ends.

Due to the practical construction of the partition, its ease and simplicity in dismantling and re-erection into any form and location and because of the very few different parts, the maintenance cost is much less than with any other type of partition.

Another practical form of the present invention is shown in Figures 13 and 14 which illustrate a bank screen consisting of the upright posts or pilasters 11 and cross pieces 17, butwithout the upper rail. The arrangement of the base and the lower panel is identical with the construction already described, but without the anchorage at the upper ends of the posts. The screen would be very insecure if it were not for the rods 30 which give the required rigidity to the entire structure without sacrificing any of its attractiveness or utility.

In Figure 8, I have illustrated the assembly of my partition when a corner section is required as well as when 'a dividing section has been installed. The post 11 at the corner on its outer side receives a strip 63, which is set against either a fixed or removable moulding strip 20 or 21 respectively, and which projects beyond the adjacent face of the post to form one wall of a channel, the other wall being formed by a removable moulding strip 64. The intermediate dividing If sectional'unit is again re a moulding 66 forming one wall of a channel receiving, a panel, the other wall comprising a separable moulding strip 67. The inner face of the carrying strip 65 is substantially U-shaped so as to embrace the corners of the post.

Figure 15 illustrates a construction embodying extra -upper light section or sections 68, which while the light itself is the same in construction and assembly as that described in connection with the single section in Figure 3, it does require an extension post 69 for the upper ends of the post 11. Each section or extension post 69 is held rigidly in upright position above its post 11 by means of a rail bolt '76 which screws into a flanged socket '71 mounted upon the upper end of the post 11 and runs through a bore 72 in the latter and the extension. fThe free end of the bolt '70 projects into a recess '73 in the extension post 69 and receives a nut 74 to draw downwardly upon the extension when tightened and form a rigid union between the two parts. A second or upper header strips 14 which would ordinarily be mounted on the header 13 are carried by the uppermost header strip '77.

Having now described my invention and tha manner in which the same is used, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A partition of the character described, comprising a plurality of spaced upright posts, cross pieces arranged between the posts and provided with longitudinal grooves in their under sides. a removable base piece for the space between adjacent posts, the upper face of the base being provided with a longitudinal groove, and a panel insertablebetween the posts and of a length to allow it to first be lifted so that the'upper end enters the groove in the cross piece and the lower end is movable over the base and lowered into the groove in the base without being entirely free of the groove inthe crosspiece.

2. A partition, as claimed in claim 1, including moulding strips arranged on opposite sides of the inner face of each post to hold the upright sides of the panel in position.

8. A partition, as claimed in claim 1, including flanged strips attached to the inner faces of the posts above the cross piece, a rabbeted piece at the upper ends of the posts, and a pivoted transom mounted between the flanged strips and having a rabbeted upper rail to meet the first rabbeted piece.

4. A partition, as claimed in claim 1, including a top strip mounted on the upper ends of the posts prising a plurality of spaced upright posts, each thereof comprising a plurality of superimposed sections provided with longitudinal openings and transverse recesses, means disposed longitudinally of the openings in said sections to attach one section to another, and fastening means for each post comprising a bolt threaded'at its ends, and

projectinginto recessesv in the adjacent posts, and a nut adjustable over each end of the bolt and against the wall of the recess to draw and rigidly hold the sections of the post together.

6. A partition, as claimed in claim 1, including a moulding strip attached to the inner face ofa post to form an intermediate partition comprising a flat strip provided with a U-shaped inner wall to embrace the post and project about two corners thereof, a moulding along its outer face to form a'stop for a panel, and another removable moulding strip to-abut the opposite side of the panel. 7

'7. A partition, as claimed in claim 1, including a moulding strip attached to the outside face of a post to form a corner partition, said strip havrisaazoe e amou d s nmiecti s pa allel tol-andbeyondt the corner of the post to form a stop for one sideo a pan l pr j ti a an. an le to. h mam.

portion of the partition, and a removable -mould-;

abutting the other side of the-panel.

ing strip attachable to the faceof the post and;

8. A partition of the character described} prising :lll ight posts, each thereof lhavin'gg'its opposite walls provided withelongitudinalh disposed, recesses adjacent and parallel to the cor--v ners and moulding strips mounted in said recesses:

to form channels to receive panel-sections, and

spring metal members arranged in'the recesses to embrace the portions of the mouldings pros jecting into the recesses. t. I

HARRY A. WALDMAN. 

